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5,841 minors have gone missing in capital so far this year, say police

The Delhi Police has drawn up a list of cases of children gone missing since January this year after three-year-old Jahnvi Ahuja went missing from the India Gate lawns on September 28. Police also said they will increase vigil in vulnerable areas like border pockets and urban villages like Bawana and Narela.

Commissioner of Police B S Bassi held a meeting with all senior police officers on Tuesday, where he discussed, among other things, the issue of Jahnvi’s disappearance from the high-security India Gate area and her recovery as well as the case of children going missing in the capital.

According to police, between January 1 and September 30 this year, 5,841 minors (below the age of 18) have been reported missing. Of these, 2,637 were boys and 3,204 were girls. Police said that 3,927 of the 5,841 minors were traced while 1,914 were not.

Moreover, on an average, a total of 15.6 children in Delhi go missing everyday, of which 9.5 are girls and 6.1 boys. In the vulnerable age group of 0-8 years, 2.37 children go missing everyday, of which 0.73 are girls and 1.3 are boys.

“Moreover, we are also looking at increasing security in the India Gate area. We have requested civic authorities to survey the lighting in the lawns and adjoining roads and apprise us after which they will accordingly increase the illumination in the area. Also, we are going to place an order for a new set of high-resolution CCTVs to be installed phase-wise in the India Gate area,” Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deepak Mishra said.

Currently, 40 low-resolution CCTV cameras are installed around the War Memorial. However, a proposal for 150 newer and high-resolution cameras is in the pipeline, police said.

A senior police officer said police presence will be increased though it will be done only through a reorganisation of the New Delhi district police force. PCR vans will also be taking new routes and keeping strict vigil on the same.